physast
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Without music id be lost.....
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« on: September 02, 2003, 09:41 PM » |
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Ok ... Lets start off with a gig that was booked by the venue without us knowing it! (good thing we looked in the paper and saw our name) After lots of colorful words we decided to play the gig and treat it as a practice.
We get there and the opening band decides they have better things to do then show up and play so now not only are we playing a gig that we had NO idea about (untill hours before hand), but we are playing it all night!!
So we are sitting at the bar drinking our free beer and eating our 50% discounted food discussing what songs we will pull out of our A$$ as our TWO fans that we called just minuits before the show walk in to this unpacked pub.
As we start playing we are doing our show as if their are 5,000 screaming ladies throwing there G-strings at us. (or 5,000 screaming men trhowing their whitie tities(for the female vocalist)) We not only get the three "regulars" from the back of the club to come up front and listen but they are in the front of the stage cheering!
Anyway, the show even if we did only play to 6 people had to be one of the best shows yet.!
The moral of this story?: Ok there is no moral, but keep it rockin!
Charlie
Drive
Atlanta, Georgia
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kismet
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« Reply #1 on: September 02, 2003, 11:23 PM » |
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How the hell did you get booked with out knowing it?  I mean, I've booked a show for my band then called them to tell 'em, or vice versa, but, the whole band not knowing? That's truly amazing. |
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redchapterjubilee
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Hulk smash.
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« Reply #2 on: September 03, 2003, 05:51 AM » |
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I was in a hard rock band in Seattle called Hailee. We were offered a gig in Chehalis (a small town about 70 miles south of Seattle) at an all-ages place. We figure there's nothing else to do in Chehalis on a Friday night so surely the club will be packed! Not a chance. Two people showed up. The opening band, who are friends of ours and drove down with us, spent most of their set lamenting the fact that we had an audience of two and played like they had an audience of zero. On the other hand, when we took the stage we rocked out like there were 2,000 people on hand. We played hard and loud, and I even played a drum solo (one of the only two or three times I've EVER done this.) To this day I loved that show. We may not have wowed a ton of people but I know we entertained the two that were there.
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physast
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Without music id be lost.....
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« Reply #3 on: September 03, 2003, 07:24 AM » |
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I have no Idea how we got booked. We just looked in the paper and saw our names by the date. We actually didn't beleive it ourselves and when we called the club asked if this was a joke!
But all went well. We didn't make any money, but had a great time and hopefully made two or three fans.
I should have done a drum solo!
charlie
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Louderdb
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Ha!
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« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2003, 08:55 AM » |
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That is the hardest part of being in a band. Being "ON" when everything else is a big, fat turn "OFF". Bad sound, bad day, feeling sick, whatever! Being a pro at this game makes you reach way back into your heart and soul and blow everyone away with, your heart and soul!  That to me is the toughest thing to do and the mark of a true professional! I can't ALWAYS do it myself, but I try every time! It's what you're SUPOSED to do! Screw all the Primadonna crap! Get up there and kick some bootie! It's what drives us to be better players and performers. If you could bottle it up and sell it, you could save the world! I really believe that. Way to go guys! Ya both get high fives from me! |
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Mightydog
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« Reply #5 on: September 03, 2003, 09:03 AM » |
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Oh, fun--I get to compare notes with someone.
We played a local bar in a college town west of here. It's a small town with a good-sized college in it. The bar is just across the street from the college campus. Friday night and the place was rockin'!!!
Fast forward to three months later. It's summer break for the college, but the lady who books the place drops me an e-mail asking if we wanted to play. She assured us that while the college folks wouldn't be there, the locals usually do a good job of filling the place. Okay, we would play.
We show up for the gig and the place has maybe 15- or 20-people in it. That's a good start. We set up, do our sound check, have a quick bite at the Asian food restaurant next door (at no charge--I always try to book for money and food. If you ever saw me, you would know why.) By the time we cross back to the bar, the place is empty as a State Trooper's heart. We looked at each other and decided to play like the place was full.
By the end of the night, we had three people in the place: The bartender, his girlfriend and an old lady from down the street.
As it turns out, Friday night is usually a DJ playing dance music. They forgot to advertise a live band. So the people who wanted to dance left. The people who might have liked a live band went somewhere else and we got dinner, paid and a good night of rehearsal.
I agree with everyone else. If you move all of your stuff to play, you might as well play like the place is packed with a line outside. The lady who books the place has offered to book us again WITH the proper advertising.
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Big-Skittle
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I love the Drummer Cafe!
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« Reply #6 on: September 03, 2003, 09:05 AM » |
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Right on! That's cool that you guys decided to stick with playing the show. I say play no matter what a show is a show no matter how many people are there. As a matter of fact you don't know who may be there! I'm a strong believer in playing every show as if it were your last. Who knows you guys could have gotten discoverd or just made an extra fan regardless you're just that much better now.
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felix
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Y no keno!
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« Reply #7 on: September 03, 2003, 09:42 AM » |
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I have a real hard time being professional in front of no bodies. What I have to do is combat my urge to be totally UNPROFESSIONAL. Dead nights are the worst. I don't know what is worse...playing your best in front of no one or screwing up in front of a huge audience.
I suppose I'll choose a solid night in front of a decent crowd.
Really, though, sounds like bs to me. Someone was pulling your chain. Are you sure it wasn't an open jam night? No way would a club owner not at least know who would be playing- or at least the manager not know? Something stinks.
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Yaay!
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paul
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« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2003, 09:57 AM » |
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My big band played an outdoor festival near Dallas in May. We had the absolutely worst time slot available: noon on Mother's Day.
As you'd expect, our crowd consisted of the sound men, 5 band wives, and one unfamiliar couple.
We always try to have fun, and that day was no exception. We played an excellent show, and we all felt good about it. Later on, while walking around the festival with band shirts on we got lots of comments from vendors who could hear us but couldn't come around to see.
Best of all, the male half of the couple who made up our audience turns out to be in town scouting bands for a couple of festivals he puts on in another town. He even bought one of our cd's. He's booked us for a show he puts on in south Texas, and is working on some other possibilities. Best of all, we've made a friend who's fairly high up in the music business and who really likes our band.
Moral of the story is: Always, always play your best. You never know who's listening.
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The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely preferable to the presence of those who think they've found it. - Terry Pratchett My drum page |
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diddle
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« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2003, 10:47 AM » |
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Paul - I'm in the NE FW area. Let me know when/where your band plays and I'll try to come.
Paul L
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Drumlooney
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Yes that drumlooney!!
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« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2003, 12:43 PM » |
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Well last saturday I was asked to play with an established latin artist in Philly, they paid for a bus to get us there, the artist does'nt come cheap I figure he makes between 5-7 grand easily, 11 piece salsa band on top of that($250.00 each), one of the spanish TV stations was hosting their weekly show there and I think only about 30 people showed up, they had to loose tons of money because they expected several hundreds. I played the gig like any other, ther rest of the band pretty much stunk up the place because of the low number of people.
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You don't practice one day no one notices, you don't practice two days you notice, you don't practice three days everyone notices.
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paul
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« Reply #11 on: September 03, 2003, 12:57 PM » |
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Paul L, we don't have a regular place to play yet except for rehearsals, but we'll be opening for the Galen Jeter Orchestra at the Village Country Club in Dallas on Sunday, October 5.
They generally play from 7-10 every Sunday, and we'll do the opening set that night, from 7-8.
The GJO is worth hearing, too. They've been around since dirt and play very well together.
If you make it there be sure and say hello.
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The presence of those seeking the truth is infinitely preferable to the presence of those who think they've found it. - Terry Pratchett My drum page |
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Scott(Sjm1112)
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Nothing important to say.
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« Reply #12 on: September 03, 2003, 03:56 PM » |
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I was in a hard rock band in Seattle called Hailee. We were offered a gig in Chehalis (a small town about 70 miles south of Seattle) My grandma lives in Centralia....small world. I can imagine the no crowd thing around there though...lol. |
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A good way to threaten somebody is to light a stick of dynamite. Then you call the guy and hold the burning fuse up to the phone. "Hear that?" you say. "That's dynamite, baby."
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Roger Beverage
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« Reply #13 on: September 03, 2003, 07:03 PM » |
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Moral of the story is: Always, always play your best. You never know who's listening. Anytime you play in public, play for everyone as though they are all potential employers. Many a band has shot itself in the foot by playing for a small crowd like there was no one there. Roger |
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random
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« Reply #14 on: September 04, 2003, 06:32 PM » |
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we wouldn't play weak DEAD! we love playing our music loud and hard so much we'd do it if we were the last people on earth.
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